Well-casing-capping device



Patented Sept. 12, 192 2.

Ji EEK-4'5 J. WfLOY.

WELL CASING CAPPING DEVICE.

APPLICATXON FILED DEC.21, 1921.

"H mm.

LQQSJFFQL INVENTOR.

Patented gept l2, 19220 matter PATENT JAMES W. BOY, F BURNETT, CALIFORNIA.

W'ELL-UASING-CAPPING DEVICE.

Application. filed December 21, 1921. Serial No. 523,808.

T 0 oil whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMEs W. Loy, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Burnett, LosAngeles County, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VVell-Casing-Capping Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to well casing capping devices and more particularly to a device adapted to be applied to a well casing for the purpose of cutting off the gas or oil being discharged therefrom, and for putting the same under control. It sometimes happens that an oil well discharges oil or .gas under great force and this becomes ignited making it impossible for human beings to get very close to it on account of the heat. The principal object of my invention is to provide a device which can be moved up to such a well casing and clamped thereupon and then manipulated so as to cap or cover the upper end of the casing and thus cut ofi the oil or as discharged therefrom. ltn order to fully explain my invention, ll have shown one embodiment thereof on the accompanying sheet of drawings which I will now describe.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a well capping device embodying my invention, with the closure member drawn back;

Fi re 2 is a similar view with the closure mem er moved forward in closed position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the lower portion of the device in open position and as it would be moved forwardly on to the upper end of a' projecting well casin Figure 4c is a longitudinal sectional view of the device, also showing the upper end of a well casing in section;

\ Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line '5--5 of Fig. 4, with the parts closed;

Figure 6 isa similar view with the parts thrust forwardly to receive a drill or cable which may be projecting out of the casing;

Fi re 7 is a similar sectional view taken on t e line 77 of Fig. i with the parts closed;

Figure 8 is a similar view with the parts extended, or ready to receive the drill or cable as the device is closed over the well casing; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary end view at the deviceo Referring now in detail to the drawings, my invention as here illustrated, comprises a base 1, the forward end of which is forked as at 1 1 and the rearward portion of which is provided with side members 1", 1*, the rearmost portion of which side members are higher than the forward portion thereof, as at 1. Pivotally mounted, on said base member at opposite sides of the forks'l 1 are two jaw members 2, 2,'the pivot pins 3, 3, of which are united by link 4:, at their upper ends, while their lower ends are secured in the base 1, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4:. Said jaw members are adapted to be closed together as shown inFigs. 1 and 2, and are provided on their forward ends with slotted lugs 5, 5, adapted to be clamped together by means of a pivoted link 6, having a pin 7, which has a cam action on one of the jaws as said link is forced to its closed position. When said jaws 2, 2, are closed together, there is formed therebetween a central opening 8, provided with bushings 9, 9, adapted, when said device is moved forwardly on to a projecting well casing, as shown in Fig. 4,-to clamp around the upper end of said well casing. In order to move said jaw members 2, 2, into closed position, after the device has been moved forwardly to the well casing, a wedge block 10, is slidably mounted on said base and provided with a plunger rod 11, which may be of any length desired and operated in any manner desired for the purpose of forcing said wedge cam block 10, forwardly between the jaw members 2, 2, for the purpose of closing said jaw members around the upper end of said well casing.

Said jaw members are provided on their upper portions, just above the bushings 9,

9, with slideways 12, 12, and in their opposite sides with dove tailed grooves 12*, 12*, as shown in Fig. 9.

Slidably mounted on said slideway 12, over said jaw members 2, 2, and between their upper portions, is a closure head 13, having on its rear under side a wedge block portion 13*, similar in shape and size to the wedge block 10, whereby when said closure head is moved forwardly this wedge block portion 13*, moves into position above the wedge block 10, and between the upper portions of the jaw members 2, 2, as indicated in Fig. at. The base portion of said closure head 13, at its forward end is forked as at 14, 1t, with a web or fioer portion15, also forked, as clearly seen in Fig. 8. A forked plate 16, has pivotally mounted on its under side two dogs 17, 17, having slots 17, 17, therein which receive pins 18, 18, in the base web or floor 15, said dogs having pivotally secured on their under sides two smaller dogs 19, 19, having their rear ends turned upwardly, as at 19', Fig. 4, and adapted to move in slots, or guideways, 20, cut in the under side of a removable forked block 21, mounted on the upper side of said closure head and corresponding in shape to the base portion thereof. The little dogs 19, 19, are normally held in the position shown in full lines in Figs. 6 and 8 by means of a spring 22.

As said closure'head is moved forwardly on its slideway, between the upper portions of the jaws 2, 2, with its parts in the positions shown in Figs. 6 and 8, any projecting drill or cable from the well casing will first engage the little dogs 19, 19, and

spread their outer ends so as to move their rear ends into the straight parallel portions of the uideways 20, 20, thus permitting said littIe dogs 19, 19, said larger dogs 17 17, and their carrying plate 16, to be moved rearwardly, causing the said larger dogs 17, 17, to close around said drill or cable projecting from said easing, into the positions shown in Fig. 7, as said closure head is moved forwardly on the slideway of the jaws 2, 2. The slideway 12, and the dove tailed grooves 12, 12*, are preferably tapered downwardly slightly toward the forward end of the device so that as said closure head is moved forwardly it is also moved slightly downwardly on the slideway on to the bushings 9, 9, over the well casing. The purpose of the little dogs 19, 19, is to prevent the slide plate 16, and the larger dogs 17, 17 from being accidentally moved into closed position, should the drill or cable first engage said plate 16, or a dog 17, before the drill or cable was centered in the device. As soon as the cable or drill is centered it will engage the small dogs 19, 19, trip them so that their rear upturned ends move in the slideways- 20, 20, thus permitting the mechanism to move as a unit and causing the larger dogs 17, .17, to close around the drill or cable as shown in Figs. 5 and 7. j

Said closure head is also provided with a push rod 23, which canbe detachably connected thereto as by means of a slot and head connection at 24. It may also be provided with a guide piece 25, between the sides 1, 1, of the base 1. It is the intention that these rods 11 and 23 may be'connected to, and operated by, a piston and cylinder structure to be operated by steam, but

as this is old it has not drawings.

Thus I have provided a device which can:

been shown in the be moved on to a well casing projecting from the ground, clamped around said well casing, with a closure head portion sliding thereon and adapted to be moved so as to cap or cover and enclose the upper end of .said casing for the purpose of cutting off and stopping any discharge of oil or gas, and the fire if the same has been ignited.

I am aware that changes can be made in my invention as here shown for purpose of illustration, without departing from. the spirit thereof, and I do not, therefore, limit my invention to the details here shown, except as I may be limited by the hereto appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character referred to, in combination, a pair of clamping elements adapted to be clamped around a casing and having provision therebetween to receive a closure element, and a closure element adapted to be moved to interlocked position between said elements and to cover the space therebetween, whereby to enclose the end of said casing.

2. In a device of the character referred to, in combination, a pair of clamping elements adapted to be clamped around a casing and having a slideway formed therebetween to receive a closure head, and a closure head adapted to be moved on said slideway between said clamping elements and to cover the space between said clamping elements.

3. In a device of the character referred to, a air of clamping jaws pivotally connected and adapted to be moved in open position on to a well casing, means for clos ing said jaws around said casing, and a closure head having interfitting and interlocking connection with said jaws and adapted to be moved therebetween when said jaws are closed for the purpose of closing the space therebetween, for the purpose indicated.

4. In combination two jaw elements pivotally connected together, said jaw elements having their adjacent upper faces provided to receive a closure head when said jaws are closed, and a closure head adapted to slide between said jaws when they are closed and to form a cover for the space between said jaws.

5; In combination, two jaw members adapted to be closed on to a pipe end and having opposite, parallel slideways in their inner portions to receive a closure head, and a closure head adapted to slide in said slideways between said jaws, in interlocked relationship therewith, and to cover the space formed between said jaws when they are closed together.

6. In combination, two jaws pivotally connected and adapted to be closed around a well casing, means for holding the same in closed position thereon, said jaws having slideways in their upper opposite faces to receive a closure head, a closure head slidably mounted to move therebetween when said jaws are closed to cover the space between said jaws, and means for forcing said jaws in closed relationship around said casing, and means for forcing said closure head into closing position between said jaws, substantially as described.

7. In combination, two members adapted to be closed together around a well casing, means for holding them in closed position, said jaws having provision therebetween to receive a closure head in interlocked position therewith when said jaws are closed together, a closure head adapted to be moved therebetween in interlocked position, whereby to cover the space between said jaws, said closure head having closure elements connected therewith and adapted to close around an object projecting from said well casing, substantially as described.

8. In a device of the characterreferred to, in combination, a pair of jaw members pivotally connected and adapted to be clamped around the upper end of a well casing, a wedge block adapted to be forced between the ends of said jaws to force them into closed position, said jaws having provision therebetween to receive a closure head in interlocked, sliding relationship therewith, a closure head adapted to be slidably moved between said jaw members and into position to close the space between said jaw members above the end of said casing, and means on said closure head to receive and close around an object projecting from said casing, substantially as described.

Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 15th day of December, 1921.

JAMES W. LOY. Witnesses:

W. R. LITZENBERG, D. O. FAwoE'r'r. 

